In a move that surprised many, the Cleveland Browns traded CB Troy Hill during the 2022 NFL draft. The Browns had drafted CB Martin (MJ) Emerson prior to the Hill trade but Emerson seems more suited as an outside defender.
Early in OTAs, Greg Newsome II has slid inside to take over the slot corner role that Hill had last year in his lone season in Cleveland. With Denzel Ward, Greedy Williams and Emerson able to hold down spots on the outside, Newsome has a chance to focus inside going into his second season.
Still, the trade of the Northeast Ohio native caught many off-guard. Hill was seen as one of the top slot corners in the league when the Browns signed him in the offseason. In 2021, his play dropped off a cliff according to Pro Football Focus:
But in 2021 free agency, he signed with the Cleveland Browns, where his slot coverage grade then tanked nearly 40 grading points year-over-year to 50.2.
While Hill could have bounced back in 2022 in Cleveland, it isn’t certain that he would have adjusted to Joe Woods’ system in year two. Instead, Newsome has a very low bar to clear to play better than Hill did in 2021.
After he played well as a rookie, Newsome seems suited for the challenge and, if his play outpaces Hill’s performance last year, could take the Browns defense to another level.